Here is a different way to show off those beautiful snap peas on your table. Lightly charred peas along with cipollini onions make a perfect dish to nibble on with a nice cold beer. A great start to your summer barbecue dinner. Click on the link to read my article about Snap Peas.

This dish is a perfect start to your outdoor dinner. In less than 20 minutes you will be enjoying it with friends!

Ingredients

2 cups sugar snap peas, 2" long

12 cipollini onion

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Ground black pepper

Simple Aioli, recipe follows

--

SIMPLE AIOLI

1 garlic glove, smashed finely minced

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoon of white balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika

Grapeseed oil, about 1/2 cup

-

Place the garlic, yolk, mustard, vinegar and a pinch of salt, pepper and paprika to the bowl of a small food processor, or "mini" prep. Process for 30 seconds. With the machine running slowly drizzle the oil in until the mixture become emulsified, or thick. Add a little water to thin if out if necessary. Taste for seasoning and garnish with a pinch of paprika.

Instructions

Place the onions in a bowl of warm water and set aside.

With a small paring knife nip off the end of the pea pod and pull back the string. Repeat for all.

Drain the onions and peel off the papery skin. Keeping the root intact and cut in half through the root end. (This will keep them together as they cook.)

In a large non-stick sauté pan add a tablespoon of oil. Heat to almost smoking and toss in the onions and peas. Cook on high heat for a few minutes until you get a nice char on them. The goal is to keep them crisp tender, and not soggy. Remove to a platter and sprinkle with kosher salt and cool slightly.

Serve with Aioli

Notes

If you don't have white balsamic vinegar on hand you can easily use white wine vinegar or even fresh lemon juice.

About Author

Seasonal Chef blogger Maria Reina comes to the world of food as a third career, spending a great portion of her adult life in the field of Human Resources. With her private company Bella Cucina Maria she is a personal chef, caterer and recreational cooking class teacher in Westchester. She's an avid food television watcher and cookbook collector, always looking for a new take on a traditional dish. In her free time she loves hanging out at local farmers, chatting it up with the farmers and doing cooking demos with their seasonal ingredients. In addition to her blog, which is loaded with easy recipes, you can follow her on Facebook (Bella Cucina Maria), Twitter (Bellacucinam) and Pinterest (Bellacucinam).